Both Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris and Kansas State head coach Collin Klein are looking for every edge they can going into their matchup on Nov. 7 in Manhattan, Kan.
Granted, plenty can happen between the start of the season and their expected match up to open the final month of the regular season. Both have a lot on their minds. Morris is at the biggest job of his career and trying to flip the script on two awful seasons in Stillwater. Klein is returning to his alma mater, where he was a quarterback and a Heisman Trophy finalist. He's in the honeymoon phase. These days, honeymoons don't last long.
This matchup is one that seems to define how Oklahoma State's season goes. When the Cowboys win it tends to be a good year. When they don't, well, just look at the last two years for a guide.
Here's what Kansas State does better than Oklahoma State and why it matters in this matchup.
Kansas State Wildcats tight end Linkon Cure. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Both teams have plenty of weapons to choose from offensively. While Kansas State has the holdover quarterback with Avery Johnson , the Cowboys have an experienced transfer in Drew Mestemaker , who is well-versed in Morris' version of the Air Raid offense.
Both teams have talent at running back and wide receiver. Kansas State has more holdover talent while Oklahoma State has brought in talent through the transfer portal that should match up well. But there's one skill position Kansas State should be better at than Oklahoma State and that's tight end. And there's a significant reason why that matters.
Klein ran a spread system at Texas A&M , or 11 personnel. That means one tight end on the field most of the time. But when Klein was in the employ of both Bill Snyder and Chris Klieman as Wildcats offensive coordinator, he ran 12 personnel, which means two tight ends on the field.
It's not entirely clear going into fall camp what type of offense Klein will run, but he has the talent to run both and that could make defending the Wildcats offensively more difficult for the Cowboys.
For a team that runs 12 personnel, it tends to run the ball more. But the Wildcats have two talented tight ends that catch the football, which makes defending 12 personnel more problematic. Garrett Oakley has been an all-Big 12 selection twice, has 13 career touchdown passes and 71 career receptions. He's also a capable blocker.
Behind him is Linkon Cure , the five-star recruit from a year ago who missed the first three games due to injury and only caught six passes in nine games. A healthy Cure means Klein can play K-State's traditional 12 personnel and still use both in the passing game, especially in short yardage and red-zone situations. Cure has the athleticism to stretch the field. The injuries kept him from showing it last year.
That could influence how OSU defenders Kansas State. Defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity will run a 4-2-5 base, so there will be five defensive backs on the field most of the time. At least one will have to defend a tight end in pass situations. That's usually a good matchup for the offense.
Once it's clear how Klein will run his offense, the matchup game begins. Don't be surprised if he uses two tight ends regularly, though. He has the personnel to do that, and it would provide him with an advantage over Oklahoma State.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahomastate as What Kansas State Does Better Than Oklahoma State and Why It Matters .
